Water and Sanitation on national dam levels recording consecutive reduction

• Published date: 11 May 2022
• Publication title: South African Official News

The weekly status of reservoirs released by the Department of Water and Sanitation this week reveal a continual downswing of water levels compared to same period last week. This week, the overall storage capacity of the country's water level sits at 94.4%, a minor decrease from last week's 95.4%, and a significant improvement from last year's 84.7%.

The Integrated Vaal River System (IVRS) has recorded a tiny enhancement from 102.1% last week to 102.4% this week. Algoa, Bloemfontein, Amathole, Orange,Cape Town, Polokwane, Luvuvhu and Umgeni Water Supply Systems have all declined week on week.

Water Supply System that have improved in water levels are; Umhlathuze, Klipplaat, and Crocodile West, whereas Butterworth and Crocodile East are steady and unmoved at 100.1% and 100.6% respectively.

Seven (07) out of nine provinces have recorded reduction in water levels namely, Free State moved down from 105.2% to 103.4%, Gauteng recorded a reduction from 102.0% last week to 101.5%, KwaZulu Natal also dropped from 93.0% last week to 92.0% this week, Limpopo dropped slightly from 89.1% to 88.8%, Northern Cape continues to plummet from 112.1% to 110.9%, North West dwindled from 80.1% last week to 78.5% this week, and Western Cape lessened from 53.9% to 53.4%.

The only provinces which has marginally escalated in water levels is Eastern Cape, increasing from 67.1% to 67.2%. Mpumalanga is fixed and unchanged week on week at 95.3%.

Vaal and Grootdraai Dams which are part of the IVRS have slightly dropped from 107.1% to 106.5% and 102.6% to 102.2%. Both Gariep and Vanderkloof Dams which are part of Orange River Water Supply System have recorded declines from 106.0.% and 106.9% to 101.6% and 105.2% respectively.

In the floods...